Rotisserie cooking systems as shown in the prior art consist of various embodiments adapted to heat food items with some form of the heat source. Vertical rotisserie ovens are particularly challenging to construct in order to cook the food items evenly from the upper portion to the lower portion. Heat of course tends to rise making the upper food items cook more readily than the lower food items. Further, an open flame presents challenges in cooking where it is undesirable to have soot expelled therefrom on to the food items and have sufficient heat transfer to the food items to cook in a reasonable amount of time (e.g. approximately one hour).
Vertically orientated skewers as described herein are found to be particularly advantageous for preventing cross-contamination of food items. In other words, in rotisserie cooking systems that have laterally extending skewers of food items, in the course of rotating the items about a central lateral axis, the various food items are positioned above one another in a ferris-wheel whereby drippings can cause cross-contamination of the vertically orientated food items to the food items positioned thereunder.
A challenge with vertically orientated food items is ensuring a proper heat dispersion whereby natural convection currents cause a rising of the warm air within the cooking chamber. Further, it is found to be extremely desirable to have a central aesthetically pleasing flame. In general, there appears to be a human trait of innately appreciating a fire which may be rooted in our survivalist instincts. Just as fireplaces are common items in houses for their aesthetically pleasing value, an open flame cooking food is a nostalgic symbol of our basic survival. Cooking food items by a flame is likely the oldest method of food preparation executed by our ancestors. Therefore, it is very desirable to have a cooking system that incorporates a line of flame in conjunction with other heating elements to effectively and safely cook food items.
Of course for commercial or residential use, it is somewhat of a challenge to capture the heat transfer from open flame while needing various criteria for proper cooking. In general, it is desirable to have a unit that will properly cook food items such as whole chickens within a timeframe of about an hour. Further, a proper combustible fuel must be employed and utilizing a flame post for proper flame size in dispersion is necessary for complete combustion of the gas. Further, the heat transfer to the food items must be such that the there are not substantial temperature gradients from the innermost portion of the food items to the surface. In other words, it is undesirable to have a burnt upper surface and a raw inner portion.
Therefore, the embodiments presented below present a very desirable effective apparatus and method of cooking food items with an open flame about vertically orientated cooking skewers.